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Compass Housing Services (Compass) tenants and other members of the community will join an expert from the Royal Botanic Gardens to build and plant two large gardens at Compass' Glenbawn Street social housing complex in Muswellbrook from 2:30pm on Thursday September 3.

The garden is an initiative of Compass’ local Tenant Reference Group. Tenants have been consulted and requested the garden include avocado trees, citrus trees, flowers and salad crops. There will also be a bush tucker section.

A recently awarded $2,000 community grant from Muswellbrook Shire Council will help fund equipment for the tenants’ ongoing maintenance of the garden and grounds.

Compass Housing’s sustainability manager Jandy McCandless said community gardens were an important part of Compass’ tenant engagement and empowerment programs.  Ms McCandless said Brenden Moore from the Royal Botanic Gardens has helped Compass to create other gardens for tenants in other parts of the Hunter and NSW.

She said in other gardens installed in Compass properties, there have been positive results above and beyond the expected improvements in nutrition and social interaction.

“Creating community gardens help our tenants to develop life skills, reduce social isolation and boredom as well as increase social interaction,” Ms McCandless said.

At Compass, we see our role as being much more than putting a roof over our tenants’ heads,” she said.

“By providing tenants with life skills, as well as access to education, training and mentoring, we can help to create pathways out of disadvantage.”

Muswellbrook based community participation officer Kristy King said the gardens also bring Compass staff and tenants together. She said gardening can also support good mental health.

“Compass runs a NSW Government funded Shout Out Mental Health program and a team member will be coming along to the garden project with afternoon tea for participants,” Ms King said.

“Anyone from the local community is invited to join us to get their hands dirty, enjoy some sunshine, and the satisfaction of building this beneficial garden,” she said.

The Glenbawn Street complex has 15 tenants.

Compass is a Hunter-based, Tier 1, not for profit community housing provider. It manages almost 7,000 properties across NSW and Queensland.

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Modern, purpose built, specialist disability accommodation (SDA) is providing people with a high level of disability to enjoy living in the community rather than in institutions.

NSW Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services, The Hon Gareth Ward MP, was recently in the Hunter, inspecting one of 65 new group homes being built as part of its Hunter Residences program.

The purpose-built, five-bedroom home at Morisset will be a new home for residents transferring from the NSW Government’s soon to be closed Kanangra centre. 

Compass Housing Services is part of the Home4Life consortia which is financing, building and managing the homes across NSW for 325 residents who are also transferring from the Stockton and Tomaree centres.

Compass Housing Services Group Managing Director, Greg Budworth, accompanied Minister Ward on the inspection.

Mr Budworth said safe, affordable, housing is a fundamental human right.

“We believe people with disabilities have a right to live in a community, rather than an institution, and to participate fully in that community,” Mr Budworth said.

“This is a new way of delivering contemporary, high quality, specialist disability accommodation,” he said.

Mr Budworth said, with more than 200 residents having already transferred to their new home for life, he has seen how living in these purpose-built homes is changing those residents lives for the better.

During the visit Mr Ward said that smaller living arrangements provide opportunities for people with disability to participate more in the community, gain greater choice and control and receive tailored supports.

“Residents who move into this new home will have access to accommodation that meets their individual needs,” Mr Ward said.

“This not only marks the start of the transition into their new home, but the start of the next exciting stage of their life,” he said.

The other Home4Life partners are BlueCHP who has designed and built the homes and LightHouse Infrastructure has helped to finance the program. Compass will manage and maintain the properties. The Government has selected six Supported Independent Living (SIL) organisations to provide, highly specialised, 24-hour support at the group homes.

Compass has some limited vacancies in the new group homes, which are available to people who have SDA in their National Disability Insurance Scheme plan.

Mr Budworth said Compass has a long and successful history of managing homes for people with high and complex levels of support. It is one of the largest SDA providers in Australia, managing around 1070 SDA places.

Compass is a Newcastle-based, Tier 1, not for profit community housing provider and an NDIS Specialist Disability Accommodation provider. It manages almost 7,000 properties in NSW and Queensland, including properties for people with disabilities.

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